Research overview: founder representation in managed felid populations

Preserving the balanced genetic contribution of the original founders is a central goal of captive breeding, since uneven representation accelerates the loss of diversity. This overview surveys how founder representation is tracked and managed in felid populations, the problem of founders that are over- or underrepresented in living animals, and strategies to equalize their genetic contributions. It reviews how breeding underrepresented lineages and using biobanked genetics help restore balance. The review connects founder management to mean kinship and long-term diversity retention. Understanding founder representation clarifies a subtle but important aspect of genetic management, in which the aim is not just to avoid inbreeding but to keep as much of the original gene pool alive as possible.